TGS'verse

Chapter 14

Chapter 14: De-stressing Part One

A/N: So this 6400-word monster was helped along by a writer I encountered when responding to a post on the erotica subreddit and my good friend, Q, who added well in excess of a thousand words to this thing.

I think I can safely say that I have a problem of setting out to do something SFW and military-related, concerning Hiccup and his old squad but reverting to simply writing copious amounts of smut.

That said, Q does hope you all enjoy the work they put into this. So everyone who reads this, please be a dear and review.

...

At the sound of keys being inserted into his apartment door, Hiccup got up from the sofa he was reclining on in the living room, stepping into the hallway to greet his fiancée.

However, the sight that greeted him, in turn, stopped him in his tracks.

Astrid looked, for lack of a better word, zombified. She was listing to one side, her eyes were unfocused and bloodshot (caused by lack of sleep between night and day shifts) and the ring binder in her hands was contained in a loose grip, further suggesting a lack of energy.

Hiccup sighed before muttering. "Long shift again?"

Astrid nodded but sighed in turn. "I've got all this paperwork to do," she murmurs, raising the ring binder for emphasis.

"You should really take a break, you know."

She shook her head slowly, swaying on her feet as she did so. "No can do, babe. I've already put it off. With how my shifts are going, I'll never get it done unless I do it now."

Hiccup sighed again. "Alright," he shrugged, seeming to give up.

Astrid managed a smile, though it didn't quite meet her eyes.

"Thanks for understanding, babe," she murmured, approaching him to kiss his cheek and almost missing him entirely thanks to continued swaying on her feet.

"I'm going to go get changed out of my uniform now."

He nodded, more to himself than her as she continued on her way to the spare bedroom in the apartment. "Alright, see you soon."

Emerging from the spare bedroom a little later, dressed in jeans and a white buttoned-up shirt and with the ring binder tucked more securely under her arm, she headed for the living room and peered through the open door, only to find the room devoid of Hiccup and the light off.

Maybe he's in his bedroom?

So heading back along the hallway to the room in question, just by the door, when an arm reached out and grabbed her arm, then instantly hauled her into the room.

So sudden and unexpected was the act, that Astrid dropped the ring binder just as her brain caught up with what was happening and who was responsible.

"Hiccup!" She narrowed her eyes at him, tugging her arm. But despite trying to pull away, her arm wouldn't budge in his grasp.

"We don't spend enough time together, milady. Not after you got promoted to the rank of detective; which isn't the end of the world for me, but you look like you're going to collapse. That paperwork is not your responsibility. I'll get Heather to take care of it. You need a nap, and you look like you could do with some food."

He said all this with a firm tone, and Astrid's shoulders sagged, reluctantly conceding to his point. Food and rest did seem good right about now, in her opinion.

"I don't deserve you," she mumbled.

"That's my line," he chuckled, then let go to hastily close the door.